At most field services companies, only the dispatcher can see where technicians are located. But to be truly efficient, everyone needs to know where they are.
An article on Service Management Online’s website explains how technology can improve the visibility of your mobile workforce to boost efficiency and customer service.
For example, look at Gamestec, a large gaming and amusement machine operator in the United Kingdom. The company is able to provide customers with immediate updates by using a live map that shows all engineer locations, skill sets and job loads.
Of course, it’s good to have a mapping tool, but you need service software to act on this tool. Then you can’t reassign a technician without everyone affected being notified. Someone needs to tell the customer you’re leaving and check to see that they’re OK with this schedule change.
Matching visibility with active processes to execute changes to assignments is critical to maintaining customer satisfaction.
The Service Management Online article reports that only about 20 percent of companies surveyed have visibility of field workers from the service desk.
“The technologies now available offer robust solutions which can mean the difference between a company excelling when delivering customer service or continually letting [its] customers down,” according to the article.
Source: Service Management Online, October 2012